Structure and Facility Performance｜

Research and Development of New Generation Fire Safety TechniquesFire safety research works through the application of functional design concepts followed by testing to ascertain the safety and feasibility of the design, and this project has been focusing this approach on studying a number of areas, including fire prevention, smoke collection and evacuation signage readability, work which has already resulted in seven research patents. In addition, through a cooperation agreement signed with the Tokyo University of Science, we plan to set up an online clearinghouse for the latest information on fire prevention design, operations, and research, which we hope to build into a must-visit website for researchers around the world working in this field.New Generation Facility Performance and Power SystemsThis project's research investigates how facility systems can provide open access and sustainable performance, with special focus on breakthroughs in building drainage-system problems, development of power generation potential in future building system design, and systems for power management in buildings. This will involve estimating the lifespan of drainage pipe systems, designing zero-emission buildings, and developing facilities for recycling energy and power management, all of which will be gradually integrated into one system platform that will make possible overall estimates of cost and the feasibility of renovation and recycling. Currently, we are looking into the use of siphoning systems for drainage in open-access buildings, conducting feasibility studies on future building systems, planning for long-term building survivability, and setting up building power monitoring and management systems.Research on Thermal Environmental Control Technology and Policy for Building RenovationThis research project seeks to conduct a complete, integrated examination of the renovation of existing buildings, through investigating their thermal environmental control, setting up renovation decision support systems, and integration of the building’s existing facilities with a ground source heat pump system. The project is divided into three main parts. The first concerns the renovation and reuse of existing buildings of historical value. The second looks at the special characteristics of heat transfer within existing building structures and its interface with a building’s facility systems. The third seeks to make breakthroughs in integrating an existing building with a ground source heat pump system.Eco-Tech DesignThe eco-tech design project seeks to integrate various technologies to achieve sustainability while emphasizing interaction between creativity and engineering concepts in designing for projects ranging from interiors to whole cities. The project team will use regular applications and presentations of its research results to enhance the creative cooperation and interaction between the academic and industry sectors of this field, a strategy which the team is currently pursuing through participation in design competitions and presentations both locally and abroad. Other ongoing work includes raising the international profile of the concept of building sustainable cities through sponsoring and participating in international design workshops in Japan, Korea, China and other countries. This series of coordinated design projects based on the cultures of East Asia provides an opportunity for an international sharing of ideas on how to work through an understanding of a city’s history to design for its future.Application of 3D Laser Scans in Real-Time Human Body Dynamic Movement Recording and Related Artistic InstallationsThe purpose of this project is to explore how digital motion-capture technology can transform the outward appearance of the human body’s dynamic movement into real-time digital shapes. A high-speed 3D handheld laser scanner is used to record the geometric data of moving objects for use in producing new artistic creations. The results will be presented in the form of virtual reality and rapid prototyping. After preliminary studies of three-dimensional works of art that are depictions of movement by local and international artists, five types of 3D motion representation have been established: simple abstraction, multi-layer abstraction, sequential planar representation, record reconstruction representation, and multi-orientation transformed representation. Corresponding scan data have been created for the five types. The geometric features of the outward appearance of dynamic movement can be retrieved and utilized as design themes for the creation of installation art.